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Authors: Nick Drake
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circle, the sign of life, had also been obliterated. But neither of these things was unexpected, for since the abolishment of the religion, such iconoclasm was common.What mattered more was that the eyes and the noses of all the royal family had been gouged out, so that they would have neither sight nor smell in the Otherworld. And I saw too that Ankhesenamunâs own royal names had been excised. This was a very personal desecration.
The carving had been discovered in a box earlier that day, within the royal quarters, during the hours of the performance of the festival. It bore a label offering the contents as a gift to the King and Queen. No one recalled its arrival, and there was no record of its presentation at the gate to the royal offices. It just seemed to have appeared from nowhere. The presentation box itself was unremarkableâa carved chest, probably made of acacia wood, of Theban design and craftsmanship. I rummaged through the straw in which it had been packed. No note. No message. The desecrated carving was the message. It would have taken some effort to acquire it, for Akhetaten, the City of the Horizon, although not entirely deserted, was slowly returning to the dust of its making, and almost no one went there any more. It had the reputation of a cursed and abandoned place now. Together with Khay, we stood pondering this enigmatic object.
âAnd you think this stone is connected to what happened today at the temple, and that between them they constitute a threat against your lives?â I asked.
âEach event by itself would be considered alarming. But both in one dayâ¦â she replied.
âWhat happened today, and the appearance of this stone, are not necessarily connected,â I said.
âHow can you be sure?â said Ankhesenamun quickly.
âThe public event was a consciously political act of dissent. But this is more personal, and private.â
âThat sounds a bit vague,â said Khay, airily.
âThe first was a crude gesture made by a group who had no other means by which to express their opposition and anger. They had no other way to approach the powers that be than to throw something at the King during a ceremony. For all the drama of its effect, that ishardly the action of powerful people. They are outsiders, without real influence, on the margins of society. This is different: it is more potent, more meaningful, and more sophisticated. It implies knowledge of writing, and of the power of names, and of the effect of iconoclasm. It has needed considerable preparation, as well as inside knowledge of the security of the royal quarters. Therefore we can assume this act has been committed by a member of the elite, and probably by someone within the hierarchies.â
âWhat are you implying?â said Khay, stiffly.
âThat it was delivered from within the palace.â
âThat is quite impossible. The royal quarters are carefully guarded at all times.â
âAnd yet here it is,â I said.
His narrow chin was raised now. He bristled with righteous indignation, like an angry bird. But before he could interrupt, I continued: âAlso the perpetrator is very sure of what he is doing, for this has the intention of creating fear where it does the most damage. In the mind of the King, and those close to him.â
They both stared at me, disconcerted. I had probably said too much, by imputing to the King any kind of human weakness. But it was too late now for protocol and correctness.
ââ¦Or so the culprit would seem to hope. Can I assume no one knows anything of this?â
Khay looked as if he had eaten a sour fruit.
âAy has been informed. He requires to be informed of everything that happens within the royal quarters.â
No one spoke for a moment.
âYou will know what I am going to ask you,â Ankhesenamun said, quietly.
I nodded.
âYou wish me to find out who is responsible for sending this object, and
The carving had been discovered in a box earlier that day, within the royal quarters, during the hours of the performance of the festival. It bore a label offering the contents as a gift to the King and Queen. No one recalled its arrival, and there was no record of its presentation at the gate to the royal offices. It just seemed to have appeared from nowhere. The presentation box itself was unremarkableâa carved chest, probably made of acacia wood, of Theban design and craftsmanship. I rummaged through the straw in which it had been packed. No note. No message. The desecrated carving was the message. It would have taken some effort to acquire it, for Akhetaten, the City of the Horizon, although not entirely deserted, was slowly returning to the dust of its making, and almost no one went there any more. It had the reputation of a cursed and abandoned place now. Together with Khay, we stood pondering this enigmatic object.
âAnd you think this stone is connected to what happened today at the temple, and that between them they constitute a threat against your lives?â I asked.
âEach event by itself would be considered alarming. But both in one dayâ¦â she replied.
âWhat happened today, and the appearance of this stone, are not necessarily connected,â I said.
âHow can you be sure?â said Ankhesenamun quickly.
âThe public event was a consciously political act of dissent. But this is more personal, and private.â
âThat sounds a bit vague,â said Khay, airily.
âThe first was a crude gesture made by a group who had no other means by which to express their opposition and anger. They had no other way to approach the powers that be than to throw something at the King during a ceremony. For all the drama of its effect, that ishardly the action of powerful people. They are outsiders, without real influence, on the margins of society. This is different: it is more potent, more meaningful, and more sophisticated. It implies knowledge of writing, and of the power of names, and of the effect of iconoclasm. It has needed considerable preparation, as well as inside knowledge of the security of the royal quarters. Therefore we can assume this act has been committed by a member of the elite, and probably by someone within the hierarchies.â
âWhat are you implying?â said Khay, stiffly.
âThat it was delivered from within the palace.â
âThat is quite impossible. The royal quarters are carefully guarded at all times.â
âAnd yet here it is,â I said.
His narrow chin was raised now. He bristled with righteous indignation, like an angry bird. But before he could interrupt, I continued: âAlso the perpetrator is very sure of what he is doing, for this has the intention of creating fear where it does the most damage. In the mind of the King, and those close to him.â
They both stared at me, disconcerted. I had probably said too much, by imputing to the King any kind of human weakness. But it was too late now for protocol and correctness.
ââ¦Or so the culprit would seem to hope. Can I assume no one knows anything of this?â
Khay looked as if he had eaten a sour fruit.
âAy has been informed. He requires to be informed of everything that happens within the royal quarters.â
No one spoke for a moment.
âYou will know what I am going to ask you,â Ankhesenamun said, quietly.
I nodded.
âYou wish me to find out who is responsible for sending this object, and
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